Reusing brass pipes

[KamilB]

I have to repipe about 60' of an existing 1" water line to a new location and existing pipes are brass pipes. I was wandering if I should reuse those pipes or should I put in a new copper pipes. Also if I reuse them is there a way to clean the inside. The pipes are probably 80 year old. Thank you for advice!

 

[John Gayewski]

This is like all things. It depends.

Is their existing piping in good shape? If it's brass then it's sched 40 iron pipe size and that means it's pretty thick and robust. Id keep it if it was in good shape.

I think you want to keep whatever has coated the inside of your pipe. Aside from biofilm. Biofilm grows Legionella which is killed by circulation of hot water (over 140 for a couple hours). Mineral film is protective and keeps the pipe from wearing.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Sylvan]

I have to repipe about 60' of an existing 1" water line to a new location and existing pipes are brass pipes. I was wandering if I should reuse those pipes or should I put in a new copper pipes. Also if I reuse them is there a way to clean the inside. The pipes are probably 80 year old. Thank you for advice!

Look at the color of the Brass pipe .

NYC was known to use Yellow Brass during WW2 which means it contains 60% copper and 40% Zinc as opposed to red braes which is 85% copper and 15% zinc

The Code does allow "piping used for potable to be used again"

If it is yellow it can become brittle due to dezincification.

If it is red brass your good to go . You may want to consider not using the threads but to buy TP adapters that will convert

TP (thread less copper) which as the same outside diameter as IPS piping

If you buy a TP x Copper (type K,L,M) you can sweat or braze the TP to the brass and then continue using copper tubing

 

[Mr tee]

I would reuse sch 40 brass pipe in a heart beat. I have never seen any that had more than a film on the inside. I assume you have red brass pipe and that film will keep lead from leaching out of it.

 

[Sylvan]

I would reuse sch 40 brass pipe in a heart beat. I have never seen any that had more than a film on the inside. I assume you have red brass pipe and that film will keep lead from leaching out of it.

You can not assume it is RED brass as many buildings in NYC do have yellow brass especially 80 years ago

South Ridge Co- op in Queens was built in 1958 and it has Yellow brass risers for the hot water and Galvanized for the cold

Remember this is an 80 year old building